Film-developing apparatus



May 28, 1929. s. c. 'BEISLER FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed May 8, 1926' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll I Q attozmg May 28, 1929 G. c. BEIDLER FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed May 8, 1926 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 INVENTOR/ .i www 6; WW 4-2 Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

. FILM-DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 8, 1926. Serial No. 107,799.

This invention relates to photographing and developing apparatus, and more particularly to the development of sensitized elements or films of a flexible character employed in the making of photographs in the so-called commercial photographic art.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel means for moving film and subjecting it to the action of fiuid, such as developing fluid; and it is a further object of the invention to produce means by Which film is received into a receptacle and moved therefrom after it has been subjected to the action of developing fluid, the said invention having reference particularly to means for mounting film drawing rollers in coactive relation to each other and for moving them apart. It is desirable to separate the feeding rollers to permit film to pass into the receptacle or developing tank, and thereafter to move the rollers into operative relation with a projecting portion of the film therebetween, in order that when the rollers are turned, they will serve to withdraw the film from the developing receptacle.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a receptacle for the developer having guiding means for the carrier of the movable roller and to provide novel means whereby the carrier may be reciprocated for the purpose stated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of the de veloping receptacle and means embodying the invention associated with it;

fFigure 2 illustrates a sectional view there- 0 Figure 3 illustrates a View of parts of the mechanism when the film is being moved from the developing receptacle.

' As it is the purpose of the inventor to utilize the invention in association with a casing of a photographing and developing appara tus of the eneral type of those issued to the a plicant ay 10, 11921, No. 1,37 7 ,454, and

ovember 23, 1920 No. 1,359,481, it is believed unnecessary to show the means for exposing film to light or the means for feeding film from the exposing chamber of such apparatus to the means for disposing of the film after it is exposed.

In the present embodiment of the invention,'5 denotes the casing or base portion thereof, to which the film is delivered after it is exposed, and it contains, in the present embodiment, the receptacle for holding developing fluid to which the film is delivered and from which it is removed, as will appear. The receptacle or tank 6 is located in the casing in position to receive film from the rollers or means which draw film from the exposing chamber, and the receptacle has a film holder 7 of the coil type, having certain improve- .ments over the film holder coil disclosed in applicants patent dated July 13, 1920, No. 1,346,780, but as the invention relating to the improved holder forms the subject ofapplicants Patent No. 1,664,731 of April 3, 1928, it will not be described in detail, except as to the plrovision of arms 8 at the ends of the film older which serve to aid in locating the holder in the receptacle in centered position. Thereceptacle has a cover 9 which extends from the rear wall to a location near the front wall, although there is a clearance at the front edge which permits film to enter the receptacle and holder. The receptacle has flanges 10 at its ends forming ledges or tracks for rollers 11 that rotate on a rod 12. The rod 12 is a portion of a frame of which the side arms 13 and 14 are parts. The rod extends through the side arms and the rollers 11 are rotatable on the rod and they are held thereon by collars 15 secured to the rod in any appropriate Way, as by set screws 16. A roller 17, preferably of metal; has trunnions which are rotatable in the side arms at or near their inner ends, and the rear ends of the arms are connected by a rod 18 whose ends project at the sides of the arms, and the said rod 18 is longer than the receptacle 6.

A rook shaft 19 is journaled in suitable bearings 20 inside of the casing, and at the rear of the developing receptacle, means are provided, such as a spring 21, that encircles manner, as by set screws or the like, and the spring 21 is shown as having one of its ends anchored to the arm 22. The ends of the arms remote from the shaft are slotted or bifurcated to coact with the rod 18 Whose ends lie in the slots or furcations of the arms, and by reason of the arrangement of parts, partial rotation of the shaft 19 causes a reciprocation of the frame carrying the roller 17 A buffer 26 is mounted on the arm 22 and it is adjustable by a screw 27 in order that it may project to a greater or less degree from the edge of the arm into engagement with the wall of the casing, and by this arrangement, the rearward movement of the arms may be controlled.

The front wall of the fluid receptacle at its upper edge is formed to produce an approximately U-shaped shield 28, at the ends of which, bearings 29 are mounted on the side walls of the fluid receptacle. A roller 29,

preferably rubber covered, is located in the U-shaped shield and its trunnions or shaft 30 are rotatable in the bearings 29. The shaft or trunnion 30 of the roller has a gear wheel 31 on one end and appropriate gearing may be provided by which it is rotated from a location externally'of the casing. A means for accomplishing the result stated need not, it is thought, be disclosed herein, since one embodiment of a mechanism for accomplishing this result is disclosed in applicants Patent No. 1,664,729, dated April 3, 1928.

A rod or pitman 32 has one end connected to the arm 23 by a stud 33, on which the said Y rod or pitman is oscillatable, and the said rod or pitman may he moved approximately longitudinally by suitable mechanism for the purpose of pulling the arms toward the receptacle 6, thus carrying the frame with the roller 17 toward the roller 29 and into coactive relation therewith, and it is the purpose of the inventor to have the parts so proportioned that the axis of the roller 17 will just pass the axis of the roller 29* and that rotation of the rollers in unison will tend to direct film being drawn from the receptacle downwardly and outwardly from the rollers and deliver it to a film transfer 84, or to a location from which it may be removed for its further treatment. The film transfer, which is conventionally shown, is more fully disclosed in applicants Patent No. l,66-l;,729, aforesaid.

When film is delivered to the receptacle containing the developing fluid, an unexposed portion of the film extends above the plane of operation of the roller 17, the resulting action would not be as satisfactory.

Externally of the front wall of the fluid receptacle there is a depending lip 35 which directs any drippings or moisture to the receptacle 3-1 and prevents it from gaining access to the space in front of the receptacle 6 as it might descend to the floor of the casing. In the relation of parts shown in Fig. 2, the rollers 11 are of a diameter which will support the arms withthe periphery of the roller 17 on about the plane or a slightly lower plane than the periphery of the roller 29. Hence, when the roller 17 passes over the roller 29, pressure exerted by the roller on the film held by the roller 29 will produce friction suflicient to draw the film from the holder as the rollers are rotated.

The collars 36 which are secured on the rod 18 engage the arms 22 and 23 and prevent shifting of the rod axially, and by this means,

the frame is maintained inoperative relation to the other parts.

As film is drawn from the developing fluid in this apparatus, the rollers act to wring or squeeze ti uid'from the film and the developing fluid returns to the developer receptacle, thus making an economical use of the developing fluid.

The structure and the arrangement of parts and their operation as stated in the specification refers to a machine embodying the mechanism, and in so far as applicant is aware, the foregoing is the best embodiment thereof, although it is obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction, and the arrangement of parts, and applicant does not wish to be limited with respect to these details or the arrangement of parts, except as he may be bound by claims of the patent issuing on this application.

I claim: g

1. In a photographing and developing apparatus, a receptacle for receiving fihuedgewise, a roller rotatably mounted with its periphery in a plane above the receptacle, a rotatably mounted rolle'r, a movable mounting on which the last mentioned roller is rotatable, means for moving the mounting and means for rotating one of the rollers.

2. In a photographing and developing apparatus, a receptacle having an opening in its top for receiving film delivered to it edgewise, means for supporting the film in the receptacle with its outer edge free of the top of thereceptaclc, a roller positioned near one edge of the opening, a frame movably mounted above the receptacle, a roller carried by the frame, means for moving the second mentioned roller to a degree carrying the axis of ing one of the'rollers, and means for returning the second mentioned roller.

3. In a device relating to photography, a receptacle for receiving film, a roller mounted in operative relation to the receptacle, means for supporting film in the receptacle with its edgein proximity to said roller, a frame, a roller rotatably mounted in the frame, a support for the frame, means for moving the frame and carrying the roller into engagement with the film and into operative relation with the first mentioned roller, means for rotating one of the rollers and means for retracting the said frame.

4. In a device relating to photography, a receptacle for receiving film edgewise, said receptacle having a flange at each end, a frame, means on the flanges for guiding the frame over the receptacle, a roller mounted at one edge of the receptacle, means for moving the frame toward and away from the said roller, a roller on the frame coacting with the first mentioned roller, and a drain lip projectin downwardlyand outwardly from the periphery of the first mentioned roller.

5. In a device relating to photography, a,

receptacle for receiving film, a roller mounted in operative relation to the receptacle,

guides at the ends of the receptacle, a frame having supporting means adapted to travel on the guides'and carry the frame, a roller mounted on the frame to coact with the first mentioned roller, 2. rock shaft, arms thereon connectedto the frame, members on one of the arms for moving the arms in one direction and carrying the roller on the frame into coactive relation with the first mentioned roller,

and means for moving the arms oppositely.

6. In a photographing and developing apparatus, a receptacle for receiving film edge- Wise, an approximately U-shaped shield at the edge of the said receptacle, a roller mounted for rotation in the shield, a drain extending from the shield downwardly and outwardly, a frame movable across the top of the receptacle and carrying a roller adapted to ride over and engage the first mentioned roller, and means for imparting reciprocatory motion to the frame.

7. In a photogra hing and developing ap-' paratus, a receptac e for receiving film edgewise, an approximately U-shaped shield at the edge of the said receptacle, a roller mounted for rotation in the shield, a drain extending from the shield downwardly and outwardly,

a frame movable across the top of the receptacle and carrying a roller adapted to ride over and engage the first mentioned roller, means for imparting reciprocating motion to the frame consisting of a rotatably mounted rock shaft, and arms thereon connected to the frame, the said rock shaft being adapted to be partially rotated in opposite directions.

8. In a photographing and developing apparatus, a receptacle for receiving film edgewise, an approximately U-shaped shield at the edge of the'said receptacle, a roller mounted for rotation in the shield, a drain extending from the shield downwardly and outwardly,-a frame movable across the top of the receptacle and carrying a roller adapted to ride over and engage the first mentioned roller, means for imparting reciprocating motion to the frame consisting of a rotatably mounted rock shaft, arms thereon connected to the frame, the said rock shaft being adapted to be partially rotated in opposite directions, and a buffer on one of the arms for limiting the movement of the arms in one direction.

paratus, a receptacle for-receiving film edgewise, an approximately U-shaped shield at I the edge of the said receptacle, a roller mounted for rotation in the shield, a drain extending from the shield downwardly and outwardly, a frame movable across the top of the receptacle and carrying a roller adapted to ride over and engage the first mentioned roller, a connection to be pulled for moving the frame in one direction, arms to which the connection is pivoted, a rock shaft on which the arms are mounted, means for connecting the arms to the frame, and means for turning the rock shaft when the connection is released.

10. In a photographing and developing apparatus, a receptacle for receiving film edgewise, a roller mounted for rotation with relation to the receptacle, a roller adapted to coact with the first mentioned roller, a mounting for the second mentioned roller, includ-' ing means for moving the mounting to carry the second mentioned roller past the axis of and into engagement with,- the first 'mentioned roller.

GEORGE C. BEIDLER. 

